2. Abstract
Education games about water usually focus on
teaching people how to save water resources at
home. Meanwhile, water pollution, as another
important issue, is often overlooked by games.
SimWater is a game that helps players experience
the life cycle of water and learn existing water
pollution effects. Through the game, players will gain
enhanced knowledge about how water recycles in
nature, and how water pollution can affect our lives.
3. Concept
• Simulate the life of water
• Play as a water droplet
• Travel in the water cycle
• Observe water pollutions in the outside world
5. Social Context - Water Pollution
• Every day, 2 million tons of human waste are
disposed of in water courses [2]
• In developing countries, 70% of industrial wastes
are dumped untreated into waters where they
pollute the usable water supply [3]
• In the United States, 34 billion liters per year
(60%) of the most hazardous liquid waste -
solvents, heavy metals, and radioactive materials
- is injected directly into deep groundwater via
thousands of "injection wells" [4]
8. Project Proposal
Three states
– Liquid (travel in water courses)
– Solid (moved by nature)
– Gaseous (travel in the air but largely affected
by nature)
9. Project Proposal
• Player decides where to move the water molecule
• The movement is influenced by geographic
condition, weather condition, etc.
10. Project Proposal
Water health is reflected by 5
indexes:
1. Taste/odor
2. Dissolved metals and salts
(sodium, calcium, etc.)
3. Microorganisms (bacteria, etc.)
4. Dissolved metals and metalloids
(lead, mercury, etc.)
5. Heavy metals
(From drinking water assessment)
11. Project Proposal
• Water is polluted for various reasons in the game
• Traveling in polluted areas will cause water
health to change accordingly
12. Conclusion
• Most people don’t have chance to see the
severity of water pollution in person, but it is
possible for them to experience it in the virtual
world
• Digital game is an effective medium to educate
people and gather their attention
• By building online communities via digital games,
it becomes easier for people to unite and fight
against bad things happening in the world
13. Discussion
• Imagine playing the game, what scenario/story
do you expect the most?
• Do you find a connection between the water
health and your own health? Will you care about
the water health while playing?
14. References
1. "The Water Cycle." USGS Water Science for Schools. N.p., n.d.
Web. 1 May 2011.
<http://ga.water.usgs.gov/edu/watercycle.html>.
2. "Facts and Figures | Protecting ecosystems." The UN World
Water Development Report. N.p., n.d. Web. 1 May 2011.
<http://www.unesco.org/water/wwap/facts_figures/protecting_
ecosystems.shtml>.
3. "Facts and Figures | Water and industry." The UN World Water
Development Report. N.p., n.d. Web. 1 May 2011.
<http://www.unesco.org/water/wwap/facts_figures/water_indu
stry.shtml>.
4. "Water Pollution Causes." Grinning Planet. N.p., n.d. Web. 1
May 2011. <http://www.grinningplanet.com/2005/09-
06/water-pollution-causes-article.htm>.
15. References
5. WaterBusters!. N.p., n.d. Web. 1 May 2011.
<http://www2.seattle.gov/util/waterbusters/>.
6. The Water Family Game. N.p., n.d. Web. 1 May 2011.
<http://www.thewaterfamily.co.uk/index2_content.html>.
